


The Dare

by Musafir



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, M/M, Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Marauders' Era, Non-Consensual Touching, Possessive Behavior, Protective James Potter, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 13:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17101556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musafir/pseuds/Musafir
Summary: In which Remus is suddenly assaulted in the halls, James is beside himself in fury, and Remus finds himself with a tag along for the day.





	The Dare

**Author's Note:**

> *casually breaking into the fandom*

**The Dare**

 

“Don’t hit me.” Alby Lovelamp said seconds before he slotted his lips over Remus’s and pushed him into the wall with the force of the kiss. 

 

Remus felt his eyes widen in shock and his mouth fell open, quite unfortunately, as it gave Alby leave to invade. Before he could muster the strength to push the other boy away, he felt a wave of residual magic as a blast tore his attacker off of him. Remus followed his trajectory with stunned eyes and saw him crash against the door of a nearby broom cupboard, and then swung his head in the opposite direction and was met with one furious James Potter. 

 

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing, Lovelamp?!” James growled, striding forward and reaching out with one hand to fist the front of Remus’s jumper. He yanked so Remus wasn’t pressed up against the wall anymore and forced Remus behind him before he let go.

 

“Potter, you ass! You didn’t have to blast me away!” Alby protested, groaning and attempting to find his feet. 

 

“You were assaulting my best mate!” James snarled. 

 

“Thought Black was your best mate.” Alby shot back, finally standing and brushing off the dust from his robes. 

 

In his defense, Remus had also thought that was the case. But he knew better than to insert any non-sequiturs into the conversation when James had the furious blaze in his eyes. Lovelamp clearly wasn’t aware of the danger he was in. 

 

“ _ Lovelamp _ .” 

 

Well. now he might be. James’s voice held a dangerous, barely human undertone. 

 

“Fine! It was for a dare! Calm down, you maniac. Acting like Lupin is your bloody girlfriend!” 

 

“Calm down? You were  _ assaulting  _ him!” 

 

“Look I…” Alby suddenly looked guilty. “Look I’m sorry okay? I didn’t mean to.” He leaned to the side so he could get a glimpse of Remus. “I’m sorry Lupin, okay?”  

 

“Its okay.” Remus said, still dazed. James looked back at him, expression still clearly conflicted. Remus knew that if he didn’t make a better argument, James was liable to handle this the muggle way and Lovelamp might spend an hour or two in the infirmary getting a black eye fixed, and James the night in detention. 

 

“Really.” Remus injected some strength into his voice. “It's fine.” This was said straight to James, in a quiet beseeching tone. “No harm, no foul.” 

 

“The dare was to snog a golden eyed Gryffindor within the hour. The penalty was boils. I didn’t want to risk you saying no.” Lovelamp explained, not at all in a manner that would help his case. 

 

“That is the definition of  _ rape, you imbecilic moron _ .” James hissed, swinging back around and lifting his wand. 

 

Remus latched on the arm and pulled it back down. 

 

“Prongs! Its fine. I’m fine. Let’s just go. I’m already late to a study session.” He pleaded, feeling the arm strain to lift. Being as close as he was, he saw red sparks shoot out of the tip of the wand held clenched in James’s grip. 

 

He saw Lovelamp visibly falter and knew that the boy was reflecting upon his poor life choices. Remus was careful not to look at him though; James’s eyes were searching his face and he knew if the older boy even caught a hint of discomfort, the arm in his grasp would be ripped away faster than he could fathom. 

 

So instead, he looked right into James’s eyes and smiled, feeling his eyes crinkle at the corners just the way he knew happened when he was really amused by something. Just the way he knew James loved because of the one time he had told him after six shots of fire whiskey. 

 

He saw it in James’s eyes the moment he relented and let go of the anger. Remus stayed close though, James and Sirius were generally affable, but Remus had learned that their emotions could change at the drop of a pin. 

 

“Lovelamp.” James called coldly, eyes still trained on Remus’s face. “If I see you within ten feet of Remus ever again, I’ll get Sirius to deal with you.” 

 

Lovelamp paled further and fled. 

 

Remus tutted, and slipped one hand into the crook of James’s elbow, using it to tug him in the opposite direction. 

 

“Come on. You best escort my fragile self to the library. I fear for my maidenhood, Sir Prongs.” 

 

James stowed his wand into his sleeve and ran a hand over his face, messing up his hair further, Remus noted with amusement. 

 

“You’re really okay, right Remy? You’d tell me?” James asked, stopping and slipping a hand over Remus’s in his elbow to keep it in place. His eyes were searching and his brow was furrowed. Remus felt a surge of affection well up inside him. 

 

“I’m  _ fine _ .” Remus said, with a smile. “Honestly, James. Acting like I’ve never been kissed before. I didn’t want it- no, hey.  _ Stop _ . It was fine though. He barely kissed me. You blasted him away within the moment, I swear.” He stopped James from storming back the way they came. “Marauder's honor, Prongs. I’m not traumatized.” 

 

“Alright.” James said reluctantly. His expression was still disgruntled, but Remus could tell that he was already relenting. He slid Remus’s satchel off his thin shoulder and slung it over his own. Remus let him do it quietly, not making any of the usual protests he voiced when Sirius or James acted like he was a maiden that needed their gentlemanly attentions. “Lets go. I’ll get you to your poncy study group.” 

 

“It's not  _ poncy _ .” Remus protested, waving the hand not caught in the crook of his friend’s elbow. 

 

“It's full of Ravenclaws, Remy! What other word is there?” 

 

“Studious. And you shouldn’t be talking right now. I’m a prefect, you know full well that blasting curse is banned from the halls!” 

 

James gamefully ducked his head and listened to Remus lecture him all the way to the library. 

 

Once there, he released Remus’s books back into his care, and then to Remus’s surprise, grabbed a chair and stuffed it into the corner. He lounged on it with an graceful ease that some of Remus’s studious counterparts shot glances at with jealousy. His shoes rested at the edge of Remus’s chair and on occasion, Remus batted away the feet when James got restless. Fortunately, for the most part, James seemed content to sit there and play with a nicked snitch. 

 

A few hours later, when the crick in Remus’s neck refused to go away, and his eyes were blurring the words on the scroll in front of him, James let his feet fall to the ground with a thud. Before his eyes, Remus’s various scrolls and notes neatly rolled themselves and stacked without his direction. 

 

“James!” Remus protested. 

 

“I’m hungry.” The taller boy yawned. 

 

“I wasn’t done!” Remus said, but even as he spoke he started to shove his things into his bag, shooting apologetic glances at his study partners. Marie Mertlop looked at him with something akin to jealousy as James grabbed his bag, but Remus dismissed it as a wrong impression. 

 

“Finish later. Lets go before Pete eats everything. Farewell Remus’s Study Group!” James called loudly to the great displeasure of Madam Pince. 

 

Remus was still making his apologies for the disruption when the door to the library firmly shut behind them. James laughed loudly, eyes twinkling and face lit up. Remus was relieved to see none of the tension in his face from earlier in the day. 

 

James offered his elbow to Remus. 

 

“May I take you to dinner, Mister Moony?” A dazzling smile was shot at him, and despite himself Remus blushed and stepped forward to slip his hand into the hold. 

 

“James Potter, you are too much.” 


End file.
